Blog love: The Liebster award

I’m thrilled to say that one of the bloggers I admire, Hannah from Popcorn and Polka Dots (formerly Put The Kettle On) has nominated me for a blog award – the Liebster! To receive a blog award for Alexcellent is truly the icing on the cake – despite all the baking disasters I’ve blogged about!

So I would like to say a huge Thank You to Hannah for nominating me. If you don’t know Popcorn and Polka Dots yet, please do check it out. It’s full of tales of travel, food, lifestyle and gorgeous images from the life of newly-engaged Hannah, who is settling back in to life in England with her fiancé after spending much of her youth in Canada.

1. Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2. Display the award on your blog – by including it in your post and/or displaying it.
3. Answer questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4. Provide random facts about yourself.
5. Nominate blogs – that you feel deserve the award – who have less than 200 followers
6. Create a new list of questions for the nominated bloggers to answer.
7. List these rules in your post. Once you have written and published it, you then have to inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.

Now onto the questions from Hannah for me to answer:

1. If there was a movie about your life, who would play you? I have a soft spot for Drew Barrymore.2. What is your favourite book and why? That’s a tough one… so many genres! I love Pride and Prejudice because it’s so beautifully written and because I love being transported to a different era where I can vicariously experience the bits I like; the art of courtship, afternoon tea in the drawing room and taking a turn about the room after needle point. I love anything by Marion Keyes because her books are funny and poignant. Also Bridget Jones Diary is a firm and sentimental favourite.3. Where would your dream vacation be? Always Hawaii. I have been twice and I now regard it as one of my spiritual homes. If only I had an actual home there. But I also think Canada could potentially be another spiritual home. I love the spirit of Aloha, but I also love mountains, skiing, and cold weather.4. What is your favourite season and why? Autumn. Because the trees look so pretty with their red and gold outfits on. I love that first Autumn chill in the air. When I was a child we use to get that in March. This year we just got it on June 1. Eeeeek! Climate Change! 5. If you were a super hero what power would you have? I would like the ability to freeze time. But then, I’d probably never get anything done because I’d have all the time in the world, right?6. If you could pass a new law, what would it be? When I was 11, I wanted to be Prime Minister so I could ban computers, because, you know, “Those machines are gonna take all the jobs.” Hey, it was the 80s.7. What is your favourite movie of 2014 so far? Frozen. I saw it with my son (Spider Boy) and ex-husband. Ex-husband and I both shed tears. Well, a tear or two. Let it GO, already!

Random facts about me

1. When I was 6, I had a 12-year-old Prince Edward pegged as a future possible marriage partner for myself (that’s right, Prince William’s UNCLE – that’s how old I am, people).

3. When I was 8 I lost consciousness (briefly) after falling off a flag pole I’d climbed (it was only half-way) at the local yacht club while my parents were lunching. Does that explain some things? Who can say?

2. When I was 11 I broke my arm going over a bike jump wearing a pair of rollerskates. They were white boot ones with red wheels, just like Olivia Newton John’s in Xanadu.

4. When I was 15, I really thought it was possible that I could marry George Michael – as a career move and because I loved him. (NB to younger readers – George was from 1980s pop duo WHAM!) So I must have a thing for pop stars and princes.

5. When I was 25, in the mid-90s, a friend of a friend invited me over to “show me the Internet”. He said perhaps I could write a gossip column online, like, you know, just publish my own content on the Internet. “No way!” I said, “That’ll never catch on… surely it wouldn’t count unless it’s done with paper and ink!” Wrong about George Michael AND the Internet.

6. When I was 27, I broke a heel chasing Keanu Reeves through the streets of Sydney’s Darlinghurst when he was in town to film the Matrix.

7. When I was 30, I posed in my underwear for Cosmopolitan magazine for a story on how different women’s bodies can look very different even if they wear the same clothing size. My boyfriend at the time didn’t like it. He should’ve been grateful it wasn’t Ralph or FHM.

My Nominees for the Liebster Award:

I’m a Big Girl Now | This fashion blog by Wendy from Sydney, Australia is about her style journey as she puts together stylish looks for women 40+. Wendy has always been interested in fashion but as she’s grown older has become more comfortable in her own skin. She shows that being “plus size” and over 40 doesn’t mean wearing boring clothes! Right on!

Sugar Coated | This blog by Lyne from Ottawa, Canada is sweet by name and in nature, with beautiful food photography to match. Lyne has a real passion for baking and cooking, and the joy she gets from it is evident in the words she writes. Blog posts cover Lyne’s family baking traditions, her own creations and guest bakers. From bread to brunch, pasta to pastry and cakes to cookies, if you appreciate the heart and joy of food, you’ll love Sugar Coated.

Sweet Tea | This blog by Bec from Canberra, Australia is your one-stop shop for afternoon/high tea advice and inspiration! Bec has a vintage crockery hire business, and the blog has scrumptious recipes for slices, cakes and biscuits, venue and styling ideas as well as tips and tricks for things like “How to fill a tiered cake-stand”. If you appreciate afternoon tea and fine vintage crockery, or just want a dose of pretty, check out Sweet Tea.

Urban Rustic | This blog by Sandy from Sydney, Australia, is a virtual emporium of beautiful, functional and well-made vintage and second-hand objects for the home. Sandy is a designer, stylist, collector and bargain hunter. Just about everything in Sandy’s collection is available for sale or hire. Urban Rustic is lots of fun and an antidote to the mass production of chain stores.

Questions for my nominees to answer:

1. When and where in your house do you blog?

2. Describe the view from your nearest window.

3. What would be your ideal meal?

4. What’s your favourite fashion and/or decorating era and why?

5. How do you spend the first hour of a typical day?

6. What would be your ideal way to spend a day?

7. If you could give one piece of advice to your 15-year-old self, what would it be? For example, mine would be, “You ain’t never gonna marry George Michael, so stop researching which brand of Whiskey he prefers and study for your exams instead!”

Thanks again Hannah for the nomination! Please do check out Hannah’s blog Popcorn and Polka Dots, as well as the other blogs I’ve nominated today.

Thanks Beck, I’m sure I would’ve mentioned the “spread” at the time, didn’t I? So unlike me if I didn’t. It was hardly a spread though, more like 1/8th of the page kind of thing. And yes, I did catch up with Keanu. Followed him into a restaurant and sat down at his table when his dining companion (Carrie Ann Moss) went to the ladies room. But that’s another blog post!